10 Binge-Worthy TV Shows to Watch on Your Next Flight

It’s the year of the long-haul: It feels like every month a new airline takes the title of world’s longest flight. Qatar Airways’ 16-hour Auckland-to-Doha route launched in February, but United Airlines’ ousted it with a 17-hour Houston-to-Sydney leg debuting in January. Then, Qantas announced its own 17-hour flight, from Perth to London, set to take off next March. (Qantas is already planning to break these records with a 20-hour Sydney-to-London route by 2022.) As the long-hauls just keep getting longer, we’re wondering, what are we going to do – and watch – with all that free time at 30,000 feet?

Fortunately, we’re in a new golden era of television. (There were a record-breaking 455 scripted TV shows in 2016, according to FX Research.) Television has never felt more accessible: Many shows can be purchased and downloaded on iTunes, or streamed with a Netflix subscription. And, in a possible sign of long-haul solidarity, this year, Netflix allowed for much of its catalog to be downloadable for offline streaming. (They’re also developing technology for low-bandwidth – aka airplane Wi-Fi – streaming.)

So, where to start? The Virtuoso Life team shared our favorite Emmy Award-winners, historical dramas, and guilty pleasures that are great for in-flight viewing. Carry on your snacks and your tablets, and settle in for a binge-watch.

Better Call Saul“I still think Breaking Bad was the best thing that ever happened to television,” says senior editor Joel Centano. “If, like me, you’re still in withdrawal four years after the show’s finale, check out its prequel, Better Call Saul, for a chance to spend additional time with some of Breaking’s best characters.”Stream It On: Netflix

The Crown“When I finished the first season of this Netflix original, I wanted to go back and re-watch every glorious episode,” says digital editor Annie Fitzsimmons. “You feel like you are there with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, and Princess Margaret, deep into their royally gorgeous, scandalous lives. It’s history done up, meticulously researched and beautifully shot. I cannot wait for season two on December 8.”Stream It On: Netflix

Freaks and GeeksJudd Apatow launched his career with this 1999 dramedy about high school students in the 1980s. “It’s only one season, so no huge investment required, and it’s a fun look at James Franco, Seth Rogen, and Jason Segel before they became the Hollywood stars they are today,” says associate editor Amy Cassell. “If you still long for Gilmore Girls and Dawson’s Creek like I do, you’ll love Freaks and Geeks.”Stream It On: Netflix

Jane the VirginActress Gina Rodriguez charms as Jane Villanueva, a writer from Miami whose life is turned upside down when she finds out she was accidentally artificially inseminated. “Jane the Virgin is hilarious and incredibly entertaining, especially if you’re a dramedy lover,” says assistant editor Rebecca Ratterman.Stream It On: Netflix

Mr. Robot“Drugs, delusions, and World Order-downfall power Mr. Robot, a tense and hypnotic cyber-thriller about activist hacker Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), Mr. Robot (Christian Slater – as dark and cagey as in his 80s heyday), and their dystopian gang’s mission to erase all consumer debt,” says senior editor Justin Paul. “The cold and eerie cinematography feels all the more fitting viewed in your laptop’s backlit glow.”Buy It On: iTunes, Amazon Video, and Google Play

The Night Manager“Former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston), a night manager at a luxury hotel in Cairo, is recruited to help bring down a high-powered arms dealer,” says associate art director Korena Bolding Sinnett. “The series takes you around the world – Egypt, Mallorca, and Zermatt, to name a few – and is based on the novel by John le Carré.”Buy It On: iTunes and Amazon Video

OzarkSince House of Cards debuted in 2013, Netflix has poured millions into its own original programming, with more than 100 TV shows and movies currently in production. One of the latest additions: Ozark, a drama about a financial planner tied up in a money-laundering mess. “If you like Breaking Bad, this is a must-watch,” says design director Melanie Fowler. “Jason Bateman is a lot like Mr. White, but don’t expect him to be as funny.”Stream It On: Netflix

Rita“More people need to watch this dramatic comedy about a public-school teacher in a small town in Denmark,” says managing editor Marika Cain. “Rita is an amazing teacher. She’s also a badass who smokes like a chimney and is not so good at her personal life, which makes for riveting viewing. Subtitle-averse viewers can skip this one – it’s all in Danish.”Stream It On: Netflix

Stranger ThingsVirtuoso graphic designer Veronica Rosalez says Stranger Things – another Netflix original series – is the perfect show to binge-watch on a flight: “There are only eight episodes, so it’s not a huge time commitment, and because there isn’t any nudity or extreme graphic content, you can watch confidently, safe from your seatmate’s dreaded side-eye.” Stream it now before season two premieres on October 27.Stream It On: Netflix

The White QueenThis dramatic, ten-part British miniseries set in 1464 follows three women from the House of York and the House of Lancaster vying for the throne of England. “If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, or you love historical fiction with a sense of place, plus plenty of excitement, intrigue, and drama, this is for you,” says Terrie Hansen, Virtuoso’s senior vice president of marketing. “The sequel, The White Princess, was just as good as the first one!”Buy It On: iTunes, Amazon Video, and Google Play

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